Slowly
by TripleN
Summary: In the Victorian age Molly makes a decision.
1. Chapter 1

She had been opposed with the arranged marriage until the day she met her future husband. They were all standing in their house, his brother making the deal official with her father. She stood behind her parents, head bowed and taking sly glances at him. He looked bored, she registered, kept looking at his watch and stopping himself from yawning.

She found his behavior strange for a person whose life is being decided right in front of him. She felt anger surge through her and was just about ready to explode when her father addressed them both.

"Molly, show Sherlock around the garden will you?"

She snapped her head in his brother's direction when he agreed "It will be a great way to get to know each other, brother. Talk to her about your-"

"I hardly think that a woman like her with such little intellectual capacity will even be able to comprehend the complexity of my-"

"Sherlock, I really think you should see their wonderful garden."

"I saw it around the corner, far from what you would call a 'wonderful' garden 'mediocre' will suit it well enough."

"How rude." Molly shook her head as she raised her book of pathology to the light.

Everyone in the room looked towards the girl.

"I insult your intellectual capacity and the garden that you know I know you take care of and that's all you have to say about it?" He had pointed his stare towards her, going in between her mother and father, they stepped aside.

Molly sighed as she closed her book and her eyes, then opened them to his face merely an inch away from hers.

"You insult my intellectual capacity and the garden you know I know you know I have been taking care of since I was but a young lass at the day of our very first meeting and that's all you have to say? Sherlock Holmes, you are every sense of the word 'rude'." they stared at each other. He squinted at her and raked his eyes up and down at her body. He leaned back and took her book with him

"You shouldn't bother with reading these kinds of things you know. You'll never be able to grow up and become a doctor anyway. People would find it a horrid to see a young woman like you holding a book about people cutting up cadavers. You will be isolated."

"You shouldn't bother telling me all these things for you already know I don't care what you or anyone else says. Isolate me all you want, I would rather be surrounded by cadavers than people who can't deal with a woman being a doctor or have a stomach strong enough to hold in breakfast." Molly said with a small passive smile, she snatched her book back.

"The back door heading towards the garden is this way, Holmes." she turned around tucking the book under her left arm.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms looking at his brother and then at her parents "Say you're sorry and ask for forgiveness." they heard Molly say as she walked out of the room.

Sherlock turned around and caught Molly Hooper's parents' eyes, smiled and said "I'm sorry, forgive me." bowed and left for Molly Hooper.

"You displayed an impressive amount of confidence back in there."

Molly smiled proudly at the ground "Thank you." silence followed as they descended down the stares of the back door.

"And I must say, I admire the fact that you actually admitted to your fault." Sherlock raised his eyebrow at the petite woman walking by his side "You admire me.".

"Yes." Molly avoided Sherlock's gaze and clutched her book tight. The smirk on Sherlock's face was unstoppable.

"So, pathology?"

Molly sipped tea from her favorite cup, the usual mess of the newssheets that Sherlock left, were cleaned by Hudson.

"Now, now Hooper I may be your housekeeper but being a wife also requires-" nodding her head mindlessly Molly mumbled an agreement.

"Why, look Martha! Six bodies were found skinned in the Thames! Six!" Molly stood, taking her paper and the dishes Mrs. Hudson held "Molly Hooper! Such things are not to be discussed-"

"My goodness Martha you sound like mother." Molly cleaned the rest of the table all the while examining the paper she held in her hand "Judging by the looks of these bodies they were skinned while they were alive… interesting."

Molly looked up hopefully at the old lady "Do you think Sherlock is working on this? Well yes of course he is but do you think he'd listen to me if I told him they were skinned alive? And maybe take me with him? That would be a great way to spend a day with my husband wouldn't it?"

Martha Hudson could barely keep her breakfast from ruining her dress, about to protest against the topic of discussion Mrs. Hudson was cut off as Sherlock hurried into the room.

"You moved my things!" Sherlock exclaimed looking at Mrs. Hudson.

"Sherlock! Look at the paper, I observed the bodies and they were-"

"Skinned alive I know." Sherlock had rolled his eyes and rummaged through the kitchen taking out a dish rag and running down the stairs.

Molly swallowed and put the paper down in disappointment. Martha Hudson looked at the young lady pitifully "He'll come around soon, Mo-"

"It's been two years, Martha." Molly looked up at the older woman, her eyes were dry but the smile on her face was enough to wrench Martha Hudson's heart.

Two years had past since Molly Hooper and Sherlock Holmes' marriage, Molly had been opposed at first and yet with Sherlock wooing her like he did she could not stop her heart from melting. The wooing had only lasted until the day of their marriage though, after the vows were said he had not even attended the reception as he had an important case to solve.

At first Molly had been encouraging about his case solving but through the months she had realized that this was how it was going to be. Sherlock and Molly did not share a bed or a room or even a floor. She had talked to him about it once and his response was "I married you, isn't that enough? Your family will be able to continue farming on our land and you won't have to go poor. I've provided you a roof over your head and even encourage you to study, I give you money for your books and your clothes. So far I have been a good husband, I don't think I need to give you anymore. We are both content."

"…Sherlock-"

"Do try to be at least grateful, Molly."

She had shed many tears for she had fallen in love with the man that she loathed the most.

John Watson stood in front of the door to 221B, he shook his umbrella, momentarily getting lost in the way the droplets shook away from it when the front door opened.

"Ah, Sherlock! I was wondering what prompted you to call for me so early in the day." John said as the consultant detective let him in the house. John frowned at Sherlock for his face remained indifferent. "New case? Or did you not solve the case you were working on?"

"No…" John stared after Sherlock as his voice faded. He walked up the stairs "It's alright, Sherlock-" abruptly Sherlock stopped climbing up the stairs and almost caused John Watson to fall backwards.

"The butcher did it. Lestrade was disgusted and fascinated at the same time about the skinned bodies, at first I thought it was the surgeon but further evidence showed that the butcher was a sadist. He didn't like brushing his teeth."

Watson frowned and said, exasperatedly "My goodness! He didn't eat them did he?" Sherlock chuckled. He continued walking up the stairs "No, John. It was the tobacco."

John sat on his chair, Holmes had not moved much of his or rather their previous belongings. He looked around as the detective sat silently in his chair. John assumed he was in his mind palace. Best not disturb him then. Let him think first.

Just as John had wondered where Mrs. Hudson was the door to the apartment opened and a haggard looking Martha Hudson panted out "Sherlock! When do you plan on actually doing something about Molly?!" John smiled and frowned at the same time. Lost.

Sherlock rolled his eyes "For God's sake, Hudson can't you see John and I are talking?"

"No we're no-"

"It's your marriage!" another roll of the eyes "What of it?

"I'm sorry, whose Molly?" John had leaned to the edge of his seat, curious.

"Tea, Mrs. Hudson." with a huff Martha was gone.

"Molly?" Sherlock had stood up and was staring out the window, hands clasped behind him.

"She's my wife John. It really wasn't all that hard to deduce-"

"Your wife?!" John Watson had stood up and looked around the room, there was never a sign of a woman here.

"Did you get married while I was away?"

"No."

John looked at Sherlock's back incredulously "You've been married before we met?"

Sherlock turned his head slightly towards his friend. Only a portion of his eye could be seen by John from this angle. The room was dimly lit.

"Sit down, Watson. I'll tell you all about her." at first John was skeptical of the way Sherlock addressed 'Molly'. The way he said 'I'll tell you all about her' rather than 'I'll tell you all about it'. 'it' being his secret marriage. And so Sherlock told John about how they had been arranged to be engaged three years ago and evidently married, he told him about her strange tastes, about her interest in pathology and all that was Molly.

"Why didn't you tell me about her sooner?" John lifted his head out of his palms. He had sat down and tried not to intervene through the half hour-Sherlock had gotten side-tracked describing molly-of talking.

"You didn't ask-" John was about to protest but Sherlock raised his voice "and it was _not _necessary."

Silence fell upon them.

"Why now?" John asked grumpily. "Of all the years why now?"

Sherlock looked John in the eye "I love her."

"It's a surprise but I reckon not altogether improbable." John shrugged.

"Something feels wrong." John straightened in his chair, watching his best friend carefully "You think she's being unfaithful to you?"

Sherlock shook his head "No." he shook his head again and walked about the flat "I don't know."

"You want my advice?" Sherlock stopped and walked back in front of John.

"Please." John stood up and looked up at the taller man "Tell me."

Sherlock closed his eyes, it was all so very vivid.

It was very rare for Molly to ever ask Sherlock of anything, really. She was not one to ask and Sherlock made sure to be able to provide for her enough.

But one dinner she had almost _demanded_ for him to be there. He could not say no to the persistent little Mrs. Hudson.

Sherlock sat on the very opposite of the long table from where his wife was picking her food, but not quite eating all of it. If it hadn't been him, her constant rearrangement and poking at the vegetables and spreading them out might have fooled anyone of her eating merrily.

"Did your parents not tell you it's bad to play with your food?" Molly flicked her eyes-brown-towards Sherlock.

"Did you like it?" she asked as she reached for her glass of wine. There were curls-reddish brown-set on the side of her face Sherlock watched as they almost dipped into the wine.

"Did you cook? They taste different than no-"

"Martha picked up a new kind of herb from the market. No, I didn't cook." Sherlock mirrored Molly as he wiped his mouth "No… that's because you only cook breakfast."

Molly let out a polite giggle "Thank you for coming to dinner tonight."

"It's not our anniversary what's the occasion?"

"Neither of us remembered all of our past anniversaries." Sherlock let out a huff of a laugh as Molly looked at him intently.

They were both getting ready to sit up and head to bed when Molly said-languidly "Goodbye, Sherlock."

Through the years, in almost all of the nights Molly had made an effort of sending Sherlock her little 'good night' messages, whether they be in person, letters or by Hudson.

"I think you meant 'Good night'." Sherlock was positioned at the very top of the stairs ready to head down and into his own flat. Molly held the wall partition by the corner that hid the hallway heading towards her quarters.

"No, Sherlock. I meant goodbye."

"After that, she turned and left."

John studied his friend, carefully tilting his head as to see the expression he was trying so hard to hide by looking out the window.

"And that was the last time you saw her? She just left?"

"No."

Sherlock turned around walked towards the door and holding it open he looked towards John.

"But it will be if we don't go now." John stood up, straightening his clothes and grabbing his umbrella.

"Right."

He looked questioningly at Sherlock "Where to?"

Sherlock and John walked up the stairs in search for Mrs. Hudson "We're going to go and interrogate Mrs. Hudson. I have a feeling she knows where Molly is going to run off to."

"But wouldn't it be easier if-"

"Ah Mrs. Hudson. Dr Watson and I have a few things we'd like to discuss with you." Sherlock had smiled politely, hands behind his back.

"If you're going to ask me about Molly then Sherlock I propose that you talk to her about your affairs yourself and for goodness' sake don't bring John into this."

Sherlock closed his mouth and glanced at John to which John released an exasperated breath as a reply "Mrs. Hudson Sherlock and I are trying to solve the matter of-"

Mrs. Hudson drew her hands up in the air as if she was on her deathbed pleading to God to finally let her go.

"You're treating her like she's a case! Goodness just thinking about her face when she finds out-"

"She's not going to find out." Sherlock's tone had been the sound of finality.

Mrs. Hudson glared at Sherlock and John looked away as she turned to him "Molly made me promise not to tell you Sherlock."

They were in the corridor right outside Mrs. Hudson's quarters which was right across the hall to Molly's.

"Then if you have already sworn not to tell me then please." Sherlock gestured to John. Mrs Hudson rolled her eyes and finally gave in "She's going back to the province. She won't be coming back. She's done here."

Sherlock frowned and looked incredulously at Mrs. Hudson and John "What do you mean she's done here? Tell me-"

"I can't tell you anything, Sher-"

"Has my wife lain with another man?" Sherlock's face was the pure undiluted expression of anger. Mrs. Hudson hesitated.

"Then tell me Mrs. Hudson." John comforted the lady as she turned red.

"Molly would-"

Not a small voice yet a gentle call came from John Watson's side, like the calling of an angel to rescue him from his current scenario, a voice gentle and practiced, quiet but never unheard.

"Mrs. Hudson?" the voice called. There was a pale hand that opened the already partially opened door and out came a woman John Watson would never expect to see. She was small and with elven beauty yet not frail. Her gentle appearance wrenched a charming smile out of the old army doctor.

"Molly!" her name suited her John made the conclusion as he watched Mrs. Hudson dart off somewhere else other than there. He stepped aside and had to look twice at his best friend's face. A look of shock and admiration as well as puzzlement clouded his face. A befuddled look.

Amusing.

"I thought you were gone for the day." Sherlock's voice was suddenly so deep and careful.

Big brown eyes stared from himself and his best friend.

"I felt I was slightly under the weather and decided to stay hom-stay he-uh not go out for the day." John nodded as he looked at Sherlock and back at Molly. The heated gaze Sherlock gave her made her turn to look at him.

"John Watson!" he declared. The tenseness in the air squeezed it from him. "I'm John Watson, a… uh close friend of your husband." Finding it strange that he had to declare himself a close friend to his best friends wife John stretched out a hand. Molly took it,a smile-he deduced was rarely shown-overtook her face. He also couldn't help but note the sharp intake of breath from Sherlock as Molly smiled.

"Yes, I've heard of you. I particularly admire-" John was enjoying that things were taking a normal pace when Sherlock broke Molly's attempt at a normal conversation.

"Does the fact that you stopped Hudson from saying anything mean I was right."

Molly's face immediately took another path "Deduce from that what you may, Mr. Holmes you will never know the answer to your question until you outright ask."

"Have you lain with another man, then?" Sherlock was still and he was stiff "Have I not provided enough for you? Are you off to run away? Off to the province you go? Just like that? Have you fallen out of love with me? Am I not enough? How could you? Who is he? Do I even want to know? Are you carrying his child?"

John made to walk but a raised hand from Molly stopped him.

"No. That's not the right question to ask. I may be. Yes. Yes. I was-we were never in love. I have not seen even a glimpse of you. I did not. He is no one. No you don't. I am a virgin."

A polite strained smile masked her face then "Well, Dr. Watson. Now that we've been" her face took on a comical expression "more or so introduced make him happy, will you" John was surprised by the amount of emotion in her eyes yet such a casual tone of voice.

"Are you really still leaving?" Sherlock stared hard at her wife.

"Sherlock, I have nothing here. I'd rather be of no use back in the province. Or maybe there I can cook dinner too." Sherlock screwed his face hard as he tried to process this "I don't understand why you have to leave."

"I don't understand why you're so concerned."

"You're my wife."

"I can be you're wife while being a couple of hundred miles away from you." Molly laughed coldly "You'll survive no doubt about it."

"Did our marriage mean nothing to you?" her eyes threatened to leak.

"This is the longest conversation we've had since the wedding." Molly looked at John "You don't need me here, Sherlock. It won't be much of a separation as we never were. You're a husband who makes a living here and I am a wife who lives far away from you. Nothing so strange, people won't talk I doubt people even know we live under the same roof now. I've never even met your best friend!"

Molly turned around but she did not walk away "It'll be like nothing changed. Besides you have John. He'll keep you satisfied. Happy I suppose." Molly turned to look at John "Am I correct, doctor?"

John Watson gestured dramatically at Molly a finger swaying back and forth 'no' he was speechless and shaking his head.

"If this is about that, then my lady let me just make it clear. I am a married man." Molly let out a small giggle as if they were keeping secrets. She whispered as she lifted up her left hand and pointed to Sherlock "So are we, Dr. Watson. You need not worry yourself sir, I am not one to gossip."

Molly Hooper-Holmes had walked past them and back down from where they came from, she was at the top of the stairs when Sherlock asked "What can I do to make you stay?"

She didn't look back.

"Why would you care if I stayed?"

"What can I do to make you stay?"

She looked to the side, eyes closed from what John could tell.

"The one thing you can't do out of all the things that you can do…

love me back."

It's not over yet I'm just trying this out. :] If I get enough positive feedback I might be fast in updating.


	2. Chapter 2

Sherlock scrunched his face the way his nose would crinkle and he would reveal his teeth "That's it?" he said, he walked forwards, towards Molly who was now at the top of the stairs facing away from him.

Incredulously, he asked "You want me to tell you I love you?"

Molly bit her lip and tried hard to calm herself. Her face was turning red and she did not want to further embarrass herself in front of a stranger, her hands turned into fists as she turned around looking at the man she had agreed to marry right in the eye.

Molly Hooper-Holmes felt emotions swirl through her being. She felt anger for herself and frustration for her husband. Anger for herself because despite the rough treatment-or rather the lack _of_ treatment from her other half she had still felt the butterflies of her stomach flutter at the idea of Sherlock Holmes stopping her from leaving their oh so humble abode never to return. She felt such violent tremors of anger for herself for allowing such feelings to affect her, along with the fast beating of her heart and the sweat trickling at the nape of her neck.

All the hard work Molly put in controlling her emotions around him felt ready to crumble as she began to hope again. She'd led herself to believe she'd stopped hoping for the love and affection of Sherlock Holmes. Such a feat would be too hard and undesirable from where she stood _then_.

But this was now, and she wanted him. Wanted him again.

Molly Hooper-Holmes wanted her husband Sherlock Holmes again even though she never stopped wanting him and at the same moment never stopped knowing it would be wrong. It would be wrong to have somebody who did not love you be forced to act as if they loved you just because you fell in love with them and are bound by a legal contract.

Molly Hooper-Holmes believed Sherlock Holmes' love was nothing but a mere piece of paper.

"I don't want you-" Molly paused and closed her eyes, she breathed in and sighed "I want you to-"

"Oh for goodness' sake Molly just tell me what you want already." he was running out of patience.

John Watson had not the tiniest idea as to what he was supposed to do and where he was supposed to be. Should he have followed Mrs. Hudson? Should he stay for moral support? He knew not what he was meant to do.

"I was! Stop-don't interrupt me" Molly stumbled over her words. The words that wanted and needed to come out formed in her mind perfectly and when it was time to finally say them her mouth was too slow in opening and closing and her syllables bumped into one another and she truly did sound like a mumbling idiot.

"You always do this-just when I'm meant to-" Molly Hooper-Holmes huffed as she tried to control herself. The worry John felt was growing as she stepped backwards. Another step and she would be rolling down the staircase.

Surely Sherlock had already deduced how unsafe Molly's stature was, John assumed.

"I just don't understand why you're asking all these questions-I've… You've never cared before." Molly sounded accusatory.

"What are you talking about? Of cours-" Sherlock had managed to say in between Molly's undecipherable stuttered words.

"Do you want me to stay?" finally John smiled a small smile as he nodded before he took his eyes off of Molly and looked at Sherlock. It was all going to be over once Sherlock admits that he doesn't want her to leave.

It was so easy, just a little misunderstanding.

"Yes, Sherlock. Tell her, tell her." John urged. He frowned at his friend as if he were a small boy once again and trying to put back together the wind up toy he broke "Tell her you want her to stay, Sherlock."

What had his friend thought when he brought him here? John wondered as his palms sweat. It was all supposed to be over and done with the moment Sherlock admitted to his wife what he admitted to his friend. Yet instead he was stood still face unreadable staring at his awaiting wife.

"Tell her you lo-"

"You don't have to do this, Dr. Watson." it was Molly's voice. It was Molly's leveled voice that stopped John "It's not him. It's his brother inside his head, telling him to keep the marriage intact."

John was shocked as to what he had just heard. Certainly Molly Hooper-Holmes did not know close to nothing about Sherlock Holmes. She knew how to irk him, how to make him talk, how to wind him up.

"Mycroft never talks for me!" it was an exclamation not a yell.

"Yes? Well why don't you prove it!" Molly exclaimed back before she stepped back and had her foot caught in between the top staircase and her skirts.

She tumbled and John would feel guilty for finding it comical. A loud bang could be heard as she hit the first floor. The two gentlemen had sprinted forwards and even bumped shoulders as they tried to run quickly for her aid. They were too slow and were greeted by a slightly disgruntled Molly sitting at the bottom of the stairs holding the sides of her head.

Sherlock stood her up by taking her sides while John checked for any severe injuries around her exposed arms.

"Are you okay? Are you alright?" John asked Molly.

He parted her carefully made hair to check for contusions and cuts.

It was a simple thing, what Molly wanted to do. Leave this house with her pride in shambles but her dignity intact. Now she had neither.

"I'm not good at this." Molly rubbed her temple.

"I can see that." Sherlock chuckled.

John grumbled as he tried to hold in a laugh at Sherlock's inappropriately put jest. Molly shrugged his hands away and tried to hold the corners of her mouth down and not let out the laugh dying to come out.

"Don't be mad at me for falling down the stairs, I didn't push you."

"Pardon me for my lack of excitement but I'm not entirely thrilled." Molly mumbled.

"Does your head hurt? Sherlock take her and sit her down and I'll get her some ice and?" Molly narrowed her eyes at the dizzying pain and nodded as John asked if she wanted water.

In Sherlock's flat Molly sat on the couch while he sat cross-legged on his chair staring at her.

"Why are you delaying my leave?" Molly asked after she'd decided to lift her head up too fast and while she looked up at Sherlock almost all she could see was stars. Just like it always was to look at Sherlock Holmes.

She hated it.

"I don't see why you have to leave at all." Sherlock lit up a cigarette.

"I have nothing here." he put the cigarette between his lips.

"You have me." it bobbed when he talked and Molly realized she should stop staring at it.

Once she'd shook herself from the cigarette haze she looked at him straight in the eye and he looked away "I never had you."

John Watson entered the room, he set down a tray with a water pitcher and a glass. Pouring Molly a cold glass of water he asked "Molly, I find it hard to believe that I've lived here for years and not have met you."

Molly smirked as she drank her water "Sherlock doesn't like to share." her playful glance she'd given the consulting detective was aimed elsewhere just as her words made him look back at her.

"You could have come down."

"It was a time of great depression for me, ." her words were deftly said as she put the glass back down.

"Being told, quite harshly that I was ungrateful for wanting more than being cooped up in my room and occasionally going out with Mrs. Hudson to shop for herbs by my _husband_ did in a great deal for my low self esteem."

Harshly, Sherlock put his cigarette out and blew out a smoke.

John pursed his lips as he watched the two simultaneously get up, the tall lanky one walking towards the windows and the petite gentle one towards the bookshelves.

"I see a familiar book." Molly mumbled as she bent to read book titles.

"There are more than one copy of that book." Sherlock muttered, Molly's face was dark.

"I could recognize this anywhere." her whisper made his back stiffen. She took out the book and opened it, there was her bookmark specially painted on a thin piece of wood just for her.

Sherlock's bookmark.

Tears brimmed her eyes and sadness laced her voice as she said "This is my book. I've been looking for it. I hadn't known you'd stolen it."

"I didn't steal it." Sherlock's voice was deep and careful as he turned around.

Their eyes locked as he said "I borrowed it. It's helped me on many occasions."

Molly's lip quivered "Urgh" quietly she sniffed and looked away as she wiped away her tears.

"You're a wreck." Sherlock pointed out.

"That I know."

John handed her a napkin.

"It's always been like this, you know." her words were directed to John.

"I meet someone new and interesting and I always mess up and he's always there. I embarrass myself and you're always just… there. Watching… waiting."

Sherlock looked offended.

"I don't sit around and wait to watch you fail." he defended himself.

"That's how it feels like to me." she laughed and looked back at the book breathing in hard she removed the bookmark and he gasped.

"Tell me, Sherlock. Why am I here?" her voice was hard "Why am I really here?!" she threw the book at him, it's pages flapped and he caught them, perfectly in his hands and secure. She held tight to the bookmark.

John was perspiring.

"I think it's best if we calm down, a little. Here." he directed Molly towards the couch. She narrowed her eyes and walked towards the couch.

"You brought here to be our marriage counselor?" the tears in her eyes and red of her face betrayed the laugh she laced the question with.

"A friend." Sherlock corrected. He swallowed and looked at John then at Molly "I brought him here to be a friend."

"For moral support?" Molly asked as she sat abruptly down on the couch.

"He's a friend with a happy and successful marriage-"

"What are you, jealous?" Molly poured herself more water.

"I want to-" this time Sherlock cut himself off.

"What can I do to make you stay?! Just answer the question!" John jumped as Sherlock threw the book down on the floor. Flat on it's back the book itself was unharmed but he saw from the corner of his eye Molly flinched he was concerned for her until "Answer me first! Do you want me to stay or do you want me to go?"

"Molly," she didn't look at either of them as John talked and turned around hugging herself "I think it's best for me to ask the questions for now." she shook her head and remained facing away.

John frowned and hit Sherlock on the arm with his fist and pointed at his chair "Sit." he demanded.

"Why are you leaving Molly?" John asked standing in the middle of the room.

"It's how he treats me. He- I" Molly sighs as she looks down "It's-ah… I know it's my fault and I… I mess up a lot but every time I do it's as if he just has to be there and" Molly covered her face with her hands "You watch me and wait for me to mess up then when I don't you poke and tease me until I do and you just-I feel like you take great joy in watching me making a mess of myself."

John crossed his arms "Have you got anything to say, Sherlock."

"Oh! I didn't know I had a choice!" sarcastically Sherlock looked up at John, grinned and returned to his stoic face.

"That's not true."

"Yes it is!" Molly threw her hands up.

"No it's not."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

Sherlock breathed in deeply "No." Molly wasn't paying attention anymore.

"It's all that you do! And I can live with that believe me I can I've gotten used to how insufferable you act at times" John saw Sherlock flinch "I don't know if there's something wrong with me because at the very first time I realized that I really did love you was when you insulted me and my family, you! You! Urgh!" Molly silenced "Why do you do this to me?"

There was a silence that hasn't been there for a very long time. A kind of quiet that meant he was taking in what she said. He was trying his hardest to understand.

John stepped back and sat, he watched Sherlock-whose eyes were closed-while he listened to Molly.

"There was something my Mother told me before I married you. We can either learn to love each other or I can teach myself never to let my emotions rule my logic." Molly clearly said.

Sherlock opened his eyes and looked at John. John nodded.

"What does that mean?" Sherlock asked as he stood up.

Molly had stood up and walked towards the door.

"I think you love me but you're not doing or even saying anything about it." Molly turned and looked him in the eyes "I'm sorry for giving you so much trouble Sherlock but I just can't do this anymore. You may not love me but I've fallen so far that I'm nearing the bottom and…" Molly longed to touch his face as he walked towards her "I'm falling and you're not there to catch me. I don't want to shatter here."

Molly closed her eyes and she couldn't see Sherlock reaching out to touch her face just before she turned around "Let me shatter somewhere else. At least somewhere I'm familiar with, with my parents. My friends. I don't want to be broken and all alone here. Not here."

"What can I do to make you stay?" he whispered.

"You can't love me back." she whispered back.

John Watson never let his mind ever imagine Sherlock Holmes in a scenario like this in the entirety of his existence knowing the eccentric man. He didn't see the tears coming and having to explain to Mary as to why his dress shirts collar had snot all over it. He coughed and looked up at the two.

The looks on their faces were of longing and desperation, they were both tired.

"Tell her the truth, Sherlock." he almost sounded like he was begging.

Sherlock breathed in "You want me to say that I love you?"

Molly shook her head, laughed a bitter laugh and said "No, I want you to say it when you feel it. I don't want you to say something you don't mean. That's why I'm leaving. Because it was not as if we married for love. We married for money."

"I married for love." Sherlock whispered.

"Don't try to humor me now, Holmes." never in his life could Sherlock Holmes have known how painful it felt to hear Molly Hooper laugh at her pain.

"If I say that I love you-and mean it-will you stay?" Molly pursed her lips and looked up.

Her voice was grave and a warning "Don't make me hope for anymore Sherlock Holmes I will not be able to take it. I won't be able to believe it."

"Let me show you." Sherlock stepped forward and Molly stepped back twice.

"How?" they challenged each other with glares.

"Court her." came a gruff voice from behind Sherlock. John Watson was slumped in his seat, the newssheet he was holding was two days old and covering his entire torso.

Molly laughed and suddenly it was genuine "Court me? Honestly Dr. Watson. Sherlock Holmes court somebody?" John grumbled.

"That's ridiculous." Molly bemusedly said. She was shaking her head as she headed for the door.

"I'll do it."

Molly spun around so quick she almost fell.

"What?" she looked for humor in his eyes and painfully she realized the look he gave her was passion.

"I'll court you until you realize that I love you." Sherlock stepped back and sat on his chair.

"Because, Molly Hooper-Holmes I love you."

He didn't know why but John Watson felt like there was a heavy weight lift from his chest at the words his friend uttered.

Still, Molly frowned and crossed her arms "I don't believe you." and Sherlock tilted his head, squinted his eyes, lit his cigarette, put it in between his lips and he watched as Molly watched the cigarette bob up and down as he said "I'll make you believe."

The carriage hit a bump on the road "Did that hurt your foot?" Molly scrunched her nose and shook her head "No."

Molly and Sherlock sat inside a black horse carriage "What did you want to show me?"

"My work. I found a body under that house once." Molly gasped and squinted her eyes "Exciting." She whispered.

"What else?" She looked around.

"Take us to the park."

"Whose body did you find in the park?" Molly asked smiling.

"I've just realized that talking about cadavers isn't a topic we should explore right now." Molly frowned and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not late enough for dinner maybe we can go have a picnic? Would you like to shop?" Molly shook her head and straightened in her seat.

"Look, Sherlock! A fairy floss vendor!" Molly rocked the carriage as she leaned forward "Do you think we can get some?"

"Goodness woman, of all the things I have to offer you choose fairy floss? It's a child's-" Sherlock was interrupted from his whining by John who had turned around from the coach's seat and frowned at him telling him to let Molly have her fairy floss. John had asked if he could come along the ride just to make sure they didn't argue too much or too loudly.

Molly laughed and without warning jumped off-like a little child-the carriage and joyfully walked towards the vendor.

"She's a child." Sherlock grumbled.

"What she is Sherlock is Molly Hooper-Holmes your wife and she's trying to have fun. If you're going be continuing with this act of courtship then don't be so sour." John got off his seat and looked at Sherlock "You're paying aren't you? I want some too."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes as he chuckled. He watched Molly talk with John joyfully while selecting which one they would purchase. It had only been a short ride yet seeing her smile like this wiped Sherlock's smile away, why had he waited so long?

Sherlock had never realized that the joy of knowing Molly Hooper-Holmes had sworn herself to him would be overcome by simply making her smile.

He would do anything to make her smile now.

It was getting late, and they had not traveled any farther than the park. The sun was ready to set as Molly, Sherlock and John sat on a bench in the park.

The children asking to be played with had distracted them and the amount of sweets Molly could consume was insane. They'd spent the rest of the day nearly emptying the vendor's cart, talking and walking around the park.

John looked up at the sky when the horse whinnied and said "You reckon we should take him back?"

"I think he's a she." Molly nodded.

"Wrong. She's a he." Sherlock corrected, eating his sugared peanuts.

"Oh?" Standing up Molly walked towards the carriage and bent near the back legs of the horse.

"You're right. He's a he." Molly laughed and sat on the carriage's step.

After a fairly long and comfortable silence.

"Today was ridiculous."

"Are you still leaving?" John asked eyes wide.

"Don't think fairy floss is going to make me stay." Molly laughed as she narrowed her eyes.

"Of course, do you want to go to dinner?" Sherlock asked pocketing his treats. "We'll go tomorrow if I don't have a-"

"I've been to events more exciting than today, Sherlock. Today was greatly appreciated and I know you were lowering your expectations because you were to take me out but…"

"Molly, if you have a request you need only say." Sherlock looked adoringly down for the first time in a long time at Molly and Molly looked up, hopeful into the eyes of Sherlock Holmes.

What she said next made John Watson choke on his fairy floss.

"I want you to take me case solving." She smirked.

He felt his heart jump, she was irresistible, she made him happy. He'll be needing to keep her around.

"No."


	3. Chapter 3

Sherlock was glad that Molly had calmed down after how startled she was by his answer. They had both in their minds wordlessly agreed that neither of them fancied fighting and arguing so much. Molly had simply nodded and he had guessed that for today she was satisfied by his fairly short act of courtship.

They had just arrived back home and had said farewell to John "Molly, my work… It's dangerous."

"I can handle it. You know I can." she looked up at him several times as they walked towards the staircase "I'll behave. I swear on that. I won't get on your way maybe-maybe I can even he-"

"Help? What can I possibly need from you while solving cases?"

Molly sighed as she started to climb up the few first steps of the stairs before she stopped and turned towards him "You have to understand, Sherlock I've always dreamed about being able to go with you on your adventu-"

"Molly, these are not my adventures, this is my job."

"Well, then I've always dreamed to accompany you." Molly looked away as she started to climb up the stairs "I think it's fascinating, what you do."

Sherlock sighed as he turned towards his flat and then back again at the stairs, Molly had stopped.

"Will you think about it? Before you go to bed-or maybe we can have breakfast before you go." Sherlock smiled at the thought of that.

"Where would I go?"

Molly nodded "Breakfast it is."

Throughout the many hours of the night Sherlock stayed up and thought. Unlike the many women who cared more for the financial relief marriage would have brought to them, Molly Hooper was and still is different. She was thankful for the financial relief and yet had not asked for anything other than what Sherlock himself provided. And yet here he was lying curled up alone on his chair head crooked and staring up at the ceiling as he thought why of all the things he could give her she would choose to accompany him on case solving?

It is unarguable that Molly Hooper was one of the most interesting women he had ever met. Sherlock thought back to her words 'Today was greatly appreciated and I know you were lowering your expectations because you were to take me out but…'

Molly Hooper-Holmes would like an adventure and he would give her one.

It was her cooking that reminded him he was to walk up those stairs and for the rarest of times have breakfast with his wife. The thought brought a smile to his face, she was not the best cook but the effort she put into cooking tasted better than any fancy restaurant could ever offer him.

Molly was standing over the stove. She whipped her head around to look at him and the perplexed expression on his face.

"You like it?" she giggled excitedly as she twirled. Sherlock felt the sides of his lips lift.

She donned an outfit practical for chasing down criminals, she wore trousers and no corset hugged her body.

"I feel comfortable." Molly nodded and continued on to cooking "I've only ever gotten my trousers out for riding and I haven't ridden in five years! Can you believe that?"

"You should have told me, I like to ride as well." Sherlock sat down on her seat and watched as she cooked.

"I should've, I should've. It would have been an interesting experience to ride with you."

"We still could, if you'd rather ride than-"

"No. Have you thought about it then?" the food was on the table and she was standing right beside him.

"Yes, I have."

"You're in my seat."

"I didn't know we had been assigned seats." Molly smiled at him and slowly she walked towards the other end of the table.

She didn't eat, merely stared at him and waited.

"You're not the best cook but your food is good."

"Nothing can rival Mrs. Hudson's cooking."

They shared a laugh and after Sherlock pointed out the fact that she wasn't eating she finally said "Will you let me come Sherlock?"

He narrowed his eyes, a playful look on his face as he shifted in his chair. She giggled and hummed impatiently.

"Yes."

And she could barely contain the excitement she felt.

"What's the case about? Did somebody get murdered? If so, how?" now she was eating.

"No, none of that. Though there was a robbery just around the corner. Figured we could get on that. I'll send for John and Lestrade."

"I don't quite know how I can help during a robbery but I'll look for clues." a rumble from his throat made her look up and smile.

"I'll keep you close by my side."

"I'm disappointed John won't be coming." Molly voiced as she looked out the carriage window.

"Mary hadn't gotten upset over John forgetting to send her a telegram but he's a romantic." Sherlock grumbled as he pocketed the letter briskly sent for him.

"What about you, Sherlock. Are you a romantic." Molly smirked as Sherlock smiled at her.

"No. I am not."

"Fantastic, I can't for the life of me deal with romantic men." Molly shook her head as Sherlock looked on surprised "Nothing wrong with them, they just remind me too much of father."

"Ah. Oh! Here we are."

Outside the carriage Lestrade waited with a frown on his face.

"The Baroness is hysterical." he was writing down on his little notebook before he looked back up at Sherlock as he assisted a lady out with him.

"Sherlock, you didn't tell me you were bringing a civilian." Sherlock looked strangely at Lestrade about to answer that he was a civilian and John was a civilian when Molly decided to introduce herself.

"Greetings! I am Molly Hooper-Holmes and Sherlock's assistant today. Oh! And apologies if I-"

"Excuse me but did you just say Holmes?" Lestrade looked questioningly at Sherlock.

"You're bringing your cousins to my crime scenes now?" to which Sherlock gave a smug little chuckle letting Molly introduce herself once more.

"I'm sorry, you may have misunderstood. I am Mrs. Holmes, Sherlock's wife." she smiled politely. She had never gotten the chance to introduce herself as such and she felt strangely prideful.

Lestrade stuttered out questions about how it could be and tried to mask his look of perplexity while Sherlock only spared him a look of concern and started walking with his arm around his wife "Goodness Lestrade you've been spending too much time with that Anderson fellow. Stupidity is contagious don't you know?"

Molly covered her mouth as she giggled.

"It was in the shoe." Sherlock's frowning face turned to look at the little lady with crossed arms beside him.

"Pray tell?"

"In the final analysis I noticed that the shoe print from the vaults didn't match the shoe print of your suspect and earlier this girl walked past us, her shoes reminded me of Baroness Grace. While you were busy chatting with Lestrade and Donovan-"

"You were the one who accidentally tripped her." Sherlock nodded.

"Yes, and I caught her but now, now she's gone. If I had known what I was looking for I would have stopped her." Molly touched her chin.

"It's not your fault." Sherlock started to walk.

"I didn't think it was. I just wish I'd known. I would've gladly ripped it out of her shoe for you."

Proudly Sherlock smiled and said "Come! we need to catch a carriage and head on over to Baroness Grace's mansion."

Molly and Sherlock were entering a carriage when she realized "Shouldn't we tell Lestrade?"

"_Darling._"

Molly laughed as she gently squeezed Sherlock's outstretched hand to help her get on the carriage.

It had almost stunned her when she felt the strange man that smelled of grease wrap his arm around her waist and pull her away. Now she looked directly at Sherlock's face he was no longer smirking playfully at her.

He looked calm and she was momentarily impressed when her mind was stolen by the cold sharp knife pressed against her throat.

"Alsright Sherlock Holmes. All's going to be just fine if ya leave Baroness Grace all alone."

Now she could see the strain on her husbands face. Molly had not wanted him to regret his decision in taking her with him. She herself was not very impressed with the fact that she was pressed tightly against a foul smelling stranger dressed in ragged clothing with a knife being held against her throat and so Molly Hooper-Holmes did the one thing she could think of.

She put the man that was threatening her husband to sleep.

She had huffed two pants when his arms stole her away and far from the ragged man who was currently trying to get a hold of his breathing and pathetically failing.

Sherlock held her face in his hands and tugged her close whispering and gasping if she was all right. He almost seemed desperate.

"I'm alright, I'm alright and I reckon we should really go call Lestrade and Donovan."

"Get a cab and get home please." he asked lazily staring into her eyes.

"No, Sherlock." and he smiled as he nodded before he turned and he was livid.

"I already know who sent you here and trust me, boy. You're going to regret coming."

Molly had attempted to stop him she really did.

She was afraid that he was going to hurt himself but when she followed him briskly into a dark narrow alley dragging the raggedy man with one hand and throwing him up a wall, there was no worry just awe in her eyes.

"Sherlock, I think that's enough. Have pity on the poor man." Molly tried halfheartedly.

He looked back up at her, adjusted his coat and raised his brow at Lestrade who was running towards them.

"What happened?!"

"Lestrade, I want you to come with me. Leave your men here and give that man a nice and cozy prison cell. We've got a baroness to arrest."

"Baroness? The baroness was the one that called for us."

Molly turned and explained to Lestrade all about the insurance that was left for the necklace by Baroness Grace's late husband and her son's gambling problem.

She felt pity for the hysterical woman that clung to Sherlock as Lestrade's men were forced to drag her out of the house. Molly had felt prideful for solving the case but seeing how it turned out brought a heavy feeling upon her heart.

She raised a hand expressing her concern for the baroness as Sherlock walked towards her, they were to take a carriage and head back home.

"You don't feel well, Molly?"

"It's not that." she confessed how she felt and asked if it were to be like this every time she came and offered her assistance to her husband.

"Our opinions differ greatly concerning this matter, my darling. Anyone who even dreams of hurting you deserves a hearty punishment."

Molly pursed her lips and she nodded. She felt flattered that he would think like this and yet there was something she believed he was not telling her, based on the strained glances he kept on sending her way.

"Sherlock?"

He jumped in his seat and that was enough for Molly to give him a look of concern.

"Is everything alright?" they stared at each other for so long Molly started to frown.

"Sherlock, tell-" leaning forward Sherlock put his hand on her knee and squeezed. Molly felt goose bumps take over her arms.

"Molly, I'm sorry." Molly confusedly smiled at Sherlock.

"For what?" she let out a tiny laugh.

"I haven't been completely honest with you."

"I've read that in books before."

Sherlock worried his eyebrows and coughed "I never planned on telling you what I'm about to disclose to you and so I don't know how exactly to word this."

Molly nodded carefully and tried to ignore the coil building in her stomach. Sherlock hadn't remove his hand from her knee.

"You're probably wondering why I haven't… _we _haven't consummated our wedding."

"I had once suspected that you had a mistress and then I learned of you and Dr. Watson." Molly narrowed her eyes playfully at Sherlock "I thought he had been the one in between us." she laughed heartily and nervously after that.

"Molly, listen to me."

"I know I'm not attractive, that I'm not beautiful yet I also know that I am not ugly and I have never-in my knowledge-done anything to put you off. I never gave it a second thought once I realized I didn't want to go to bed with a man I loathed." Molly laid her hand on Sherlock's, gripping it as tight as he was gripping her knee.

"Sherlock you attract me intelligently, physically and in any and-quite possibly-_every_ way a woman can get attracted to a man. But you were once a man-_the_man I loathed the most in this world." Molly leaned forward her mouth right next to his ear "And so if ever in the past you tried to bed me without what happened yesterday _ever_ happening I would have _very_ discreetly murdered you in your sleep."

Leaning back Molly pushed Sherlock's hand off of her and suddenly the carriage was cold once more.

"That is how much you… _loathed_ me?" he said in a whisper and in confirmation she nodded.

"It would have been a very interesting event, you trying all your might to kill me but I regret to inform you that you would have failed." he sighed "I love you Molly Hooper. "

Her spirits jolted at those words and she looked out the window "What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I was-but no longer-hesitant to take you before because of an event… I still have trouble thinking of." Sherlock was looking down at his lap and he began to feel sweat at the nape of his neck.

"That time you said I was harsh to you there was a reason, I was trying to… well make you loath me."

"You've succeeded."

"That much I've deduced."

Sherlock gasped when he felt Molly wipe away the hair that had clung to his skin, he hadn't noticed she'd leaned so close to him once more.

"Go on." her voice whispered and he closed his eyes.

"Don't interrupt me." Molly caressed his face before she took out a napkin, tossed it on his lap and comfortably sat back down across him.

"She might be getting better at cooking, Hudson. You've got competition." in high spirits Sherlock dashed down the stairs with an omelette on a plate in his hand.

"Oh, Sherlock. If you want to compliment her, she's right here darling." he smirked before he opened the door to his apartment and was greeted by his flat mate John Watson and DI Lestrade.

He felt his heart pump in excitement, so early in the morning and he's already got another case. They conversed for a while and bantered when Sherlock wouldn't share any of his food.

"I'll take you to the scene now. I must warn you, it's horridly gruesome."

"Horrid and gruesome? My taste." Sherlock replied just a bit confidently.

They arrive at the scene, it was an old run down building but not abandoned.

"Had an anonymous letter delivered telling us to head straight here and we found two bodies both decaying and another one on it's way to rigor mortis."

Sherlock turned and smiled at his doctor before entering the room that had housed the bodies.

Lying on the floor were three naked female bodies, same height from what he could tell. He trailed his eyes down the third and newest body spread outwards. Pale skin, reddish brown hair, small mouth, pert nose-

"We've found four more bodies upstairs!" Sherlock almost staggered at the sound of the booming voice, quickly and haphazardly he climbed up the spiral staircase and there all he saw were four more of his wife's lifeless body.

"Sherlock, it's not good to be this excited-Hey! Where are you going?"

"I remember."

"I thought you said you wouldn't interrupt me?"

"You hadn't been talking for so long we've arrived home." Sherlock looked at his surroundings and then at her. Her.

Molly.

"I was afraid. I am afraid." he looked to be begging. Molly felt her features twist and her eyes water.

"You have no reason to be afraid, not now." they were standing in front of the door.

"I figured that distancing myself from you would lessen the pain of your inevitable expiration." a sob escaped her and she jumped at him, arms around his neck while he caught her tightly in his arms.

That day so long ago Molly was sitting on her bed, legs crossed and hunched over a book she was currently lost in when the door to her chambers slammed open. She gave a small scream and her book flipped onto the ground.

"Goodness, Sherlock what has-GOTTEN INTO YOU?!" Sherlock had roughly brought her standing up by her waist looking intently at her eyes.

"You're alive."

"Sherlock!"

He grabbed her face in his hands and firmly turned it here and there and about before she scratched at his wrists and yelled for him to stop and he did, once he had embraced her tightly in his arms.

His eyes were wide open, his breath was ragged, his heart was pumping so hard it hurt him.

"Sherlock." her voice was so soft and so calm and he buried his face in her neck as she hugged him back. They were quiet but not still as they rocked side to side. Molly had grown a smile on her face despite the worry in her heart.

She was content like this until he roughly pushed her away, so hard that her bottom hit the dresser beside the bed and he stomped his way out of the door.

That was it, after days and weeks of being ignored she had lost all hope until it turned into a year and she had planned to run away at last.

"I was so angry at you." she whispered and they were much alike in the way they were that day.

"I caught him, Molly." his deep voice vibrated on the skin of her neck.

"Yet I'm still afraid." her hands calmed him down as she stroked his back and his neck over and over.

"I'm not only afraid of losing you to death. I'm afraid of what I'm feeling. Of what I felt. They weren't you."

"No, they weren't me. I'm here. With you."

"Yes." they rocked together.

"I promise to love you in every and any way. Please… promise you won't ever be sick of me again. Promise you won't leave me again. We'll go on adventures. Proper ones." he shook.

"I wouldn't be able to bear losing you and not only to death but to myself. I'll court you." he had continued to beg and she wasn't sure if he would stop before she separated them and cupped his face in her small hands and pressed their foreheads together.

"I won't leave you. I'll stay. I'll stay."

"I'm sorr-" she shushed him as they embrace each other once more. Rocked once more.

"I'm staying. I'm here. I won't ever leave you. I promise."

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this, though I am glad it's finally up. I still hope you were all satisfied and not disappointed. Feedback would be precious! I'm looking forward to writing more Sherlolly. :]


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